Ukraine to abolish conscription

Ukraine is now in the process of the final recruitment drive during it's system of military conscription. As we reported in a previous CO Alert, this is the second time that a cessation of the draft has been announced in Ukraine. This time it seems that this will happen.

President Viktor Yanukovych on 1st October at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in the Lviv region as he revealed military reforms aimed at the creation of a "professional army."

The reasons for this change, Yanukovych said, was the need to establish “a professional army that will be able to meet modern challenges." These new soldiers must "come to grips with the modern equipment which is being modernized every year and demands constant training," he added. These arguments are similar to those articulated by many other governments who have abandoned conscription over past year. Have a look at The end of conscription and the transformation of war, an article from The Broken Rifle, WRI's magazine, on this shift.

Sources: Radio Free Europe, Ukraine Starts Last Mandatory Draft, 1 October 2013; KyivPost, Yanukovych signs order on last conscription and switching to contract service army, 14 October 2013; UPI, Ukraine to end military conscription after autumn call-ups, 3 October 2013.